USA > Illinois > De Witt County > History of De Witt county, Illinois. With illustrations descriptive of the scenery, and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers > Part 56
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Wagon and Wood Workman .- John Gagnon.
Carriage and Wagon Painters .- W. A. Finley, Edmund Du- pre.
Grain, Lumber and Coal Dealer .- II. Le Feber. General Stores .- C. L. Oakford & Co., J. W. Cain.
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HISTORY OF DE WITT COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Drugs and Groceries .- M. M Robins. Drugs .- C N. Cain. Boot und Shoe Store .- W. A. Myers. Harness and Saddlery .- Charles Dupre.
Physicians .- E. M. Taylor, John H. Tyler, H. S. Chapin, J. Bryant.
Stock Dealer und Shipper .- Henry Myers. Norman Horse Dealer .- G. B. Leasure. Insurance Agent .- H. Le Feber. Shoemaker -A. J. Brown. Sewing Machine Agent .- Levi Hodges. Meut Market .- Archibald MeConkey. Carpenter .- John MeDonald.
Hotel .- D. F. Robins. Police Magistrate .- A. J. Brown. Constable .- Charles Zartman. Postmaster .- J. W. Cain. There is also one saloon in town.
At this writing the village contains about 300 inhabitants. It has one church, a brick structure with cupola and bell, and built in 1856. It is of the Methodist Episcopal denominatiou. The school-house is a one-story brick, and built in 1871. It em- ploys two teachers, and is thus semi-graded. About ninety pupils is the maximum attendance.
SOCIETIES.
Amon Lodge, No. 251, A. F. and A. M. was chartered Octo- ber 6, 1881, with the following Charter officers : John H. Tyler, W. M .; John Marsh, S. W .; Benjamin S. Lewis, J. W. Stilmou, A. Chaj in, Treas .; Joseph J. Kelly, Secretary ; Joseph Marsh, S. D .; James McCord, T. The number of Charter members were 11: The present officers are: James Marsh, W. M .; Isaac C. Lafferty, S. W .; John Furgeson, J. W .; G. B. Leasure, Treas .; S. A. Chapin, Sec .; H. Le Feber, S. D .; Asa Wilson, J. D .; A. King, T. The present membership is 59. The Lodge meets in Masonic Hall, Tuesday evenings, on or before the full moon in each month. This is one of the oldest Lodges iu De Witt county. It is in excellent condition financially, owning the entire build- ing in which their Lodge meets.
De Witt Lodge, No. 183, I. O. O. F., was instituted the 12th of October, 1845, with the following charter members : John M. Richter, B. T. Jones, Thompson S. Smith, S. K. Ifarrell, and Samuel L. Swords.
In consequence of the decease of membership during the war, the Lodge merged with Mt. Pleasant Lodge, No. 126, in the year 1862. It was reinstated as De Witt Lodge, the 18th of March, 1875. The present officers are: A. J. Brown, N. G .; Samuel Darby, V. G .; H. S. Chaplain, Sec. ; M. A. Myers, Treas .; Charles Chappell, C .; Levi Hodges, I. G .; Edward E. Claflin, O. G. : Darius Cheney, R. D. G. M. The present mem- bership is thirty. The assets of the Lodge in furniture and re- galia is estimated at $200.00. Amount iu the treasury, $400.00. The Lodge is therefore, in good financial condition.
TOWN OF PARNELL.
This town was laid out by James Porter, a public-spirited citi- zen of the township, in the spring of 1880, and situated on the Springfield Division of the Illinois Central, just south of the township line between De Witt and Rutledge township. It was named in honor of the present Irish agitator, Parnell.
The first house was a small frame building, 16 by 24, and built by John Williamson, in the spring of 1880, for a blacksmith shop. Mr. Williamson still conducts the business at the old stand. The first dwelling was constructed by J. W. Nichols in the spring of the same year. The first goods were sold by C. L. Winslow in the same season. The store was a frame building, and situated on the corner of Lincoln and Elizabeth streets.
Nichols & North Elevator Co .- This elevator was built in the summer of 1881, at a cost of $3,000, and is one of the neatest and most complete elevators in De Witt county. It is thirty feet square and fifty-six feet in height, aud has the capacity of storing 20,000 bushels of grain, besides having cribs capable of holding 35,000 bushels of corn. Its capacity for elevating per day is 4,000 bushels, and employs four men to run it. It is conveniently situated on the switch of the railroad, has one double dump, and drive ways suitable for the buisness. It is operated by what is known as the "Taylor horse-power," but will some time in 1882, put in a steam-power, as the business is so increasing that the latter power will have to be utilized. In addition to the steam- power, there will also be added a track-scale, and a set of corn burrs for manufacturing meal. In the last twelve months this firm has handled 180,000 bushels of grain.
(teneral Stores .- Brickery Bros., C. L. Winslow.
Hardware and Stores .- Nichols & North .- Manufacturer and Deuler in Boots and Shoes .- August Anderson.
Blacksmith Shops .- J. W. Williamson, Walker & Williams. Coal, Lumber and Agricultural Implements .- Nichols & North. Postmaster .- J. W. Winslow.
Freight, Express und Ticket Agent .- J. W. Nichols.
Boarding House .- J. H. Brickey.
Notary .- J. W. Nichols.
The little town is on the high road, in time, to become a village of some local importance, as it bas au excellent country sur- rounding it; and a wide-awake class of citizens. It now con- tains but about fifty inhabitants, and is not two years old at this writing. Mr. Wilson North has a telephone connecting his store with his residence, three-fourths of a mile away.
FULLERTON STATION
Is situated on the railroad, about midway between the town of De Witt and Parnell, and contains one store, consisting of a general stock. Mr. David Fuller is the proprietor, also grain buyer, freight and ticket agent. The place has a switch, and all day-trains stop here.
Scene on north part of Farm.
RESIDENCE, STOCK AND GRAIN FARM OF JACOB SWIGART SEC. 14, T. 20, R. 4, (DE WITT TP) DE WITT CO., ILL.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Jacob Kurgart
Who is one of the largest farmers and stock raisers in the county, was born in Marion County, Ohio, September 21st, 1827, and was the son of Daniel and Elizabeth Swigart. Dauiel Swigart was born and raised in Lancaster County, Pennsyl- vania. His grandparents were Germans, who settled there at a very early date. His wife was reared in Virginia ; she also desceuded from German parents. Daniel Swigart came to De Witt County in 1849, and settled where Jacob now lives, where he resided until his death, February, 1869; his wife sur- vived him until March, 1875. They raised a family of eleven children. The subject of our sketch came west two years pre- vious to his father's coming, and worked by the month, and taught school until 1850. October the 3d of that year he was
united in marriage to Mrs. Rebecca Davis. They have raised a family of nine childreu, seven now living. Mr. Swigart has been very successful in life, as he started out without aid, but with a good constitution and willing hands he determined to succeed in the world, and 'as a natural consequence of labor coupled with good management and economy, he is now the possessor of a large landed estate of upwards of 2,500 acres finely improved. A view of his residence can be seen on the opposite page. In politics he is a staunch Republican; for many years he has repre- sented bis township on the board of supervisors. In 1868 he received the nomination of his party to represent this district in the Legislature, and the election following was elected to a position he filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to the people.
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Omin Wakefield
AMONG the prominent farmers and old settlers of De Witt County, we present the above portrait. He was born in Jeffer- son County, N. Y., August 27th, 180S. His father, Joseph Wakefield, was a native of New Hampshire, and raised in Wind- sor, Vermont ; at the age of maturity, he turned his face westward, and in 1800 he stopped near where Watertown, N. Y., is now located, where he afterwards married Miss Susan Sawyer, who was a daughter of Thomas Sawyer. The history of the Sawyer family dates back to Thomas Sawyer, sen., who emigrated from Lincolnshire, England, to America in 1639, being one of the first settlers in Lancaster, Mass. His descendants are numerous,
and scattered through most of the states. The subject of our sketch settled where he now resides in 1833. He has been twice married, and raised a family of six children, five now living, four sons and one daughter, viz .: George W., a lawyer, in Sioux City, Iowa ; Melancthon, a lawyer in Cherokee, Iowa ; Philetus, a physician, living in Waynesville, this county ; Lycurgus, a law- yer, in Pierre, Dakota Territory; and Miss Bandusia, who is a teacher, and now living with her brother, George W., in Iowa. Mr. Wakefield has served his township as Assessor, Treasurer, and Justice of the Peace. In politics he is a Republican ; relig- iously a Universalist.
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WAYNESVILLE TOWNSHIP.
AYNESVILLE is situated in the extreme north-western part of the county, and for- merly belonged to McLean county. It has the honor of containing the next oldest settle- ment in De Witt, having been settled as early as 1825. Originally it was very evenly di- vided between prairie and timbered land, the latter being somewhat in excess of the former. At this writing plenty of good timber abounds suitable to all the wants of the people. It is bounded on the north by McLean county, on the east by the township of Wa- pella, on the south by Barnett and on the west by Logan county, and contains 24 seetious, or upwards of 15,000 acres.
Kickapoo creek enters the township in the north-west part of section fourteen and flows south-west, passing into Logan county from section thirty. Prairie creek enters from the north in sec- tion seventeen and empties into the Kickapoo nearly on the line between sections seventeen and twenty Rock creek flows north and west through the township, and joins with the Kickapoo near . able place to stay in for the time being. During the spring and the centre of section twenty. Other small streams abound, dis- charging their waters into some of the above mentioned creeks. From the above it will readily he seen that the natural drainage of the township is excellent, and yet the farmers are tiling largely, experience teaching them that it is money and labor well spent. The Illinois Midland Railway furnishes the transportation facil- ities, entering in the southern portion of section thirty, where it takes an easterly course to Waynesville. Here it forms an elbow, trending southward and crossing the township line between sec- tions thirty-one and thirty-two. The surface is somewhat diversi- fied. Along the creeks it is quite broken, and in places approach- es in form to small bluffs. The soil is comparatively shallow, but most excellent for the raising of wheat and blue grass. The prairies are slightly undulating and contain the rich alluvial soil of the world-renowned Grand Prairie.
FIRST SETTLEMENTS.
The honor of taking the first steps toward civilization within the boundaries of Waynesville, belongs to Prettyman Marvel and his wife Rebecca. Mr. Marvel was a native of Georgia, and his wife was a South Carolinian. Their parents were pioneers of In- diana, where their children grew up together. In May 1823, they were married, and the following year moved to Illinois and stopped in Sangamon county. February 1825, they moved to within a short distance of what is now Waynesville village in sec- tion thirty-one, De Witt county. Their mode of conveyance was a cart drawn hy a yoke of oxen. It was ten o'clock at night be- fore they halted. There was no light in the window-no warm friends or home to greet them. That night the snow formed their
bed to rest upon and the starry heaven was their shelter. A few sticks gathered and fired by the side ot a log furnished the only means of warmth. The next day they fixed up a temporary cabin by driving four crotched posts into the ground. These were connected by poles and were overlaid with split slabs of wood for a roof. In time it was enlarged to two rooms by build- ing an addition of the same kind. The former was aristo- cratically called a bed-room and the latter the sitting room. Let the present generation imagine, if they can, a "sitting room " with the ground for a floor, for such was the case with this man- sion. The fire-place was outside of the entrance called a door. This consisted by hauling up before the entrance a fore and back log, within which the fire was built, and here the cooking and warming was done. It was found when the snow melted away in the spring that the cabin had unfortunately been built in a slight depression of ground. Water stood a foot deep in their rude domicil This they remedied by pounding in pieces of dry-rot logs and filling up to a sufficient depth to make the rooms a pass- summer a more comfortable cabin was erected on a more favora- ble site. Of course this log-cabin was quite pretentious for the times, and being such we will give a slight description of it as given to the writer by " Aunt Becca " Gambrel, formerly wife of Prettyman Marvel, the pioneer. It was a small log cabin about 12x16, and covered with split staves four feet in length, while the floor was mother earth. The fire place extended near- ly across one end of the building, with stick and mud chimney of the olden time. The beds were constructed by placing poles be- tween the cracks of the logs a certain distance apart and laid over with rived clap-boards ; the shelves for the table-ware were pre- pared in the same manner. This same spring Mr. Marvel broke a small piece of ground and planted it in corn and potatoes. This was the first farming done in the county with the exception of that performed by the Shugarts and Elisha Butler in Tun- bridge, which was the same spring-1825. Wolves were then more plentiful than village dogs, and about as tame. It was very ‹difficult to raise chickens or any of the small domestic animals, as the wolves were so hold that they would come up to the very door of the cabin, and would only leave when shot at or beaten off with clubs.
These lonely pioneers were cheered and encouraged in their new-found home by two children, mere babes then, John S. and James. They both grew to manhood, married, and raised large families ; several of their representatives are yet living in the county. John and James died several years ago. Nine other children were born in the township, Nancy, Cynthia, Lavinia, Prettyman, Rebecca, Mary A., Wiley and George, all of whom are living but one, a twin to Nancy, who died without being
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HISTORY OF DE WITT COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
named. All reside in the county except George and Lavinia. The latter lives in Vermillion county, this state, and the former in Ne- braska. Mr. Marvel lived to see and enjoy the fruits of his labors, owning a large farm at the time of his death which occurred in the summer of 1842. In 1847 Mrs. Marvel was again married to Thomson P. Gambrel of Indiana. He died in 1877, his wife sur- viving him, Mrs. Gambrel is at this writing an inhabitant of the village of Waynesville and enjoying excellent health and vigor of mind for one of her age, being in her seventy-sixth year. She is the oldest resident of the county, and has had eighty-six grand-children and thirty-two great-grand-children.
John Barr, a brother of Mrs. Gambrel, came here but a few days after Mr. Marvel, and lived in the same cabin with his brother-in-law until spring, when he built a small cabin just over the line in Logan county. Mr. Barr is upwards of eighty years of age, and still resides near where he settled in the spring of 1825.
Samuel Curtright made his advent here the next day after Mr. Marvel, and settled on section thirty-two. He went to work at once to erect his cabin, which in architecture was much after the style of his neighbor's. He had quite a family, none, however, large enough to aid him in his pioneer efforts. Iu March, 1828, he entered the W. 3 of the N. W. 4 of the above section. He remained here for several years, when he moved with his family to what is now Clintonia township, where he became an active settler, building the first corn mill. Ile died several years ago ; some of the family yet reside in the county. Felix Jones was also a pioneer of 1825. IIc moved here from Indiana, having a wife and a large family of children. Soon afterward his wife died, when he married again, and drifted to parts unknown.
In the spring of 1826, John Glenn with his wife Jane and his son-in-law, Abraham Hobbs-then a widower-and the latter's four children, moved in and squatted in the Kickapoo timber, in. section twenty-nine. Mr. Glenn was a native of South Carolina, and migrated to Tennessee in 1803, and from thenec to Indiana, and afterward to Illinois as above stated. He remained here but a few years, when he moved with his grand-children further west, where he died. Samuel P. Glenn, a son of the former, was horn in South Carolina, and lived with his father until they moved to Indiana. Here he married Ruth Scott, and in the spring of 1827 moved here and settled in section twenty-six, and was one of two persons to make the first land entries iu De Witt county. His mode of conveyance was an ox wagon peculiar to travel in those times. He bought the "improvement right " of his brother, Thomas M., which was a few acres of ground and a pole cabin. To use the language of Mr. Glenn, " It was so meager and shabby that a person of to-day would not stable his horse in it." But it was the best he could do until he could build a better, and thus he and his young wife moved into it. Mr. Glenn is yet living, and one of the oldest citizens of the county, as well as a promi- nent farmer. After the county was organized in 1839, he was among the first to represent the people in the State Legislature. He served several years in the capacity of justice of the peace. Has been twice married ; his second wife's name was Mary Riley. No children were born from the first marriage, and but one from the present union, Margaret M. who died but a few years ago. Mr Glenn and his wife are now residing at the old homestead in section twenty-six, where he first settled in 1827. Thomas M. Glenn, brother of the above, was also born in South Carolina, and was with his father when he moved to Indiana. In 1825 he came to Illinois, Sangamon county, where he stopped until the following spring, when he located in section thirty-five, Waynes-
ville township. He had a wife and nine children, seven daugh- ters and two sons. When he brought his family to this state his mode of conveyance was with pack-horses, but he had purchased an ox team and wagon before moving to Waynesville A small log cabin was soon erected, and the family made comfortable. That summer he broke a small patch of ground and raised a crop. He remained here about twenty years and improved one of the best farms in the county. In 1855 he moved with his family to Iowa. But one of the family are now residing in the county, Nancy, wife of William Fruit.
James K. Scott, a brother-in-law of the Glenns, and one of the most prominent of the pioneers, was a native of South Carolina, and moved to Indiana in an early day. He canght the Illinois fever-migration-which was then prevailing, and, in company with Samuel P. Glenn, landed here in the spring of 1827. He and Mr. Glenn made the two first land eutries in the county, be- ing the 3d of November, 1827 ; the former locating in section 27, and the latter in section 26. Mr. Scott brought his family with him, consisting of a wife and two sous, Lorenzo Dow and John W. Five children were born to them in the county-Martin H., Crafton P., Jane C., Polly A., and Lucinda. The former three -Lorenzo, John, and Martin-died several years ago. The daughters are living in Missouri, and James C. and Crafton P. are residing near Kenney, in Tunbridge township. Mr. Scott was a very active and useful citizen in his day. He represented the people in the State Legislature two terms, was widely known as a pioneer preacher, besides holding minor offices of trust and honor He died several years ago, lamented by many warm friends. Ilis remains lie in one of the oldest cemeteries in the county, situated on the premises of Samuel P. Glenn, in section twenty-six.
One of the peculiar pioneers, in fact such an one as we some- times read about in "border life " novels, was Sylvanns Shurt- leff, a native of Vermont. He was a peculiar composition of ge- nius and romance. He was of a restless, roaming disposition, and had lived more or less with the Indians. Indeed, he was initiated and became one of the tribe of the Pottowatomies in 1823. He remained with them for some time, and in 1827 drifted to Waynesville, then called Big Grove. From him comes the origin for the name of Salt Creek. He says that at one time the Indians manufactured salt upon its banks, hence its name, Salt Creek. A few years later we find him in De Witt township, where he built the first mill, a description of which will be found in the history of that township. It would be needless to add, that as civilization advanced, be packed up his possessions and moved further west It is said that he is yet living somewhere in the far west, just in the skirts of barbarism.
Abraham Onstott was born in Kentucky, and left his native state in the spring of 1823 and arrived in Illinois in May of the same year. He first settled with his brother David, who had preceded him, in the forks of Salt Creek and Sangamon river, Sangamon county. In the fall of 1824 he married Miss Mary Branson : he remained here until the spring of 1829, when he moved to Waynesville, aud located in section 23, Prior to this, Dec. 2, 1828, he had entered the west half of the north-west quarter of the above section. Mr. Onstott relates that he has seen at one time seventy head of deer feeding together, not far from his present residence; and at that time the nearest post office was at Springfield, and that they received their mail semi-annu- ally. He is now a very old man, living at the old home in sec- tion 25, and is regarded by a large circle of friends as one of the kindest of neighbors and best of citizens.
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HISTORY OF DE WITT COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
John J. McGraw was born in South Carolina and subsequently migrated to Kentucky. In the spring of 1830 he with his father-in-law, Tillmon Lane, moved to Illinois, and located in section 34, on the farm now owned by James Strange, near Waynesville. On their arrival they had no house to move into ; they therefore did the best they could, which was to clean out the stable of one of the old settlers, Martin Scott, and move into it. Imagine, if you can, a log stable accommodating a family of ten persons for a whole summer ; but such was the case with these pioneers. That summer they raised a crop of twenty acres of corn on the land now owned by Amos Dick. In the fall, they each hnilt cabins in section 25. The spring following they broke prairie and raised small crops of corn and potatoes. In course of time they were in possession of fair farms. Here Mr. Lane lived until his death, which occurred in 1835. Mrs. Lane resided at the old homestead until the spring of 1852, when she died. Two grand-daughters and one grandson are yet residing at or near the old farm. Only two children of this large family survive their parents-Mary, wife of James W. McCord, in Harp town- ship, and Rebecca Crum, who lives in Kansas.
Judge J. J McGraw is now residing in Clinton, a hale and hearty old man, and one of the representative citizens of De Witt county. He was elected first county clerk after the county was organized, and served as snch for eighteen years; was school commissioner for the same length of time ; appointed master in chancery by Judge Treat ; served as United States assistant as- sessor under Abraham Lincoln, and was re-appointed to the same office by President Grant. He was elected police magis- trate of the city of Clinton for six years, chosen county judge, which office he filled upwards of three years; served several terms as justice of the peace, and is now filling that office, not so much for the emoluments, but that he may have something to do. He has, indeed, been a bnsy and useful citizen. The first Sabbath-school organized in the county was conducted by him at the house of Edward W. Fears, near Waynesville, in the fall of 1830. A short time ago he informed us that he had solemnized the rites of matrimony for 356 persons, the histories of whom would undoubtedly be a peculiar medley. Mr. McGraw's family consisted of his wife and four children,-one son and three daughters-only two of whom are now living, Leander S., and Nellie C., wife of A. R. Phares, both residents of the city of Clinton. Mrs. McGraw died the 25th of December, 1877, at the advanced age of 70 years. Judge McGraw is in the 76th year of his age, and looks and appears as though he might become a centenarian.
John B. Jones was born in Ohio, and migrated to Indiana at an early day. In the fall of 1830 he moved with his family to this township, and settled in section 21. He made the trip with an ox-team, and on his arrival hastily threw up a pole cabin. His family were his wife and five children. The children's name; were as follows : Caroline, Adolphus, Lavinia, Ellen, and John M. Several other children were born to them after coming to the county. John M. resides in the same section that his father located on, and is a very prominent farmer ; Charley, a younger brother, lives on the old farm, a comfort to his mother in her old age ; John B, the pioneer, died about twenty-five years ago.
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